2017 Reivers Road Races

Saturday 25th March and Sunday 17th September

Regretably the September event has been cancelled owing to low numbers of entries

Sunday 17th September - Womens' Reivers Road Race

For the first time Berwick Wheelers are hosting a womens two stage
race named the Reivers road race which is building on the success of
the Reivers road race as hosted in March.

The first stage will be a 3.4 mile TT leaving adjacent to our HQ at Etal
village hall in one minute
intervals up to the Old Friendly Hound pub which was iconically the king
of the mountains banner for the tour of britain stage held on this very
route.

The second stage, following the TT, will be a
category 2/3/4 40.8 mile road race race for women only
which leaves from the same location as the TT. The Reivers Road Race starts at Etal Village Hall and is neutralisied
up Ford Bank before the flag is dropped and the race is started. Tackling a 19.70 mile circuit of the original Reivers road race
loop, this
race will tackle the loop twice and with an uphill finish on Ford Bank
the event will be extremely competitive right to the bitter end.

A fully supported event including first aid and on route mechanic means we have the competitors covered for most eventualitites.

There
was treble joy for GS Metro as they swept the podium positions at an
exhilarating and sun kissed Reivers Road Race last weekend. Having
tasted victory in the event twice before, the border roads once again
proved a very happy hunting ground for the North Tyneside club as they
put on a display of collective strength and tactical nous to dominate a
high class field.

Now
into its fourth running, the Berwick Wheelers organised event adopted a
refreshed and expanded form for 2017. A tweaking and toughening of the
route saw the inclusion for the first time of Allerdean Hill,
acting as a secondary sting in the tail following hot on the heels of
the sapping ascension of Ford Bank. The biggest change to affairs
however, came in the addition of a second
race, increasing the number of competitors on the start lines from 80
to 120, and ensuring a full day of action and entertainment for the
roadside spectators.

It
was in the premier event of the day, the category 2/3/4 race, that GS
Metro delivered their textbook racing lesson. On the final of three
rapid laps of the 20 mile circuit, the team played their hand and
created what ultimately proved to be the race’s
defining moment. Having gamely ploughed a near solo furrow off the
front of the field for the bulk of proceedings, 2016’s winner Scott Wardlaw (VeloClub Edinburgh)
found himself first joined by Dylan Hughes of Spokes Racing, and then
as attacks from the main bunch unfurled, bridged to by a cavalcade of
three GS Metro riders. With former Berwick Wheeler representative and
new Metro member Andrew Scorey playing
the consummate teammate role at the front of the perusing pack,
disrupting the pace and thus the chances of an organised and cohesive
chase, the 5 man break were able to power on and establish what it soon
became clear was a decisive gap.

From here the numbers game took hold, and, when Metro’s Tim Wilcock clipped away from his breakaway companions, his teammates were able to knock off the gas, look to Wardlaw and
Hughes, and invite them to respond. The Edinburgh man and junior rider
took to the task gamely, but as Wilcock powered up the rise to Hay Farm
to secure victory, his colleagues Zeb Kyffin and
Carl Donaldson seized their chance, dropping their two weary cohorts
and moving away to claim second and third respectively, celebrating
rapturously on crossing the finish and securing a perfect outing for the
club.

Earlier in the day, the category 3/4 race also saw one team rise to prominence, with Innes Johnston and Calum Shackleysecuring
first and second place for u23 development squad, Glasgow Cycle Team,
whilst Tony Fawcett of Newcastle Cheviot CC rounded off the podium.
Designed to encourage those who wish to test the waters of road racing
for the first time, the morning race took in 2 rather than 3 laps of the
course, all be it a barely less blistering pace.

One of those trying his hand at competitive cycling for the first time was Berwick Wheeler Chris Cowe, who showed both his continued improvement and great tenacity by battling around the route to place 40th of the 60 entrants. Warned by club mates that the Reivers Road Race is one of the toughest challenges on the calendar, his maiden voyage in a racing bunch was a revelation – the thrills and bumps of the fast straights, and the gruelling Ford Bank, leaving their indelible imprint as Cowe remarked wryly ‘my heart was at max to stay on the back’. Pleased to have finished, and with a new found respect for toughened road racers, Chris will hopefully be seen adorning a start number again soon, with his efforts on his debut providing an inspiration for aspiring riders teetering on the edge of making that initial jump into race action.

Keen to leave a mark on their home roads, Cowe wasn’t alone in representing the host club amongst the amassed field.
Andrew Waring and Darren Lindsay carried on from their exploits in
Gifford the week previously, with Waring taking another credible finish
crossing the line in the second chasing group, to finish 17th overall.
Unfortunately bad luck again followed Lindsay, with a clash of wheels
and ensuing mechanical issue taking him out of the action early in the
piece.

On a brighter note, having worked off some rust at Winter criteriums,
it was a much welcome return to racing on the open road for another
Wheeler, Neil Wilson, who will be looking to continue his upward form
curve throughout the summer months to come. The club can be proud to
have four current and two former riders racing on what is their trainingturf, one of whom, Hamish Carrick, had made the long journey north from his studies in southern England to tackle his local routes in the kit of new club TBW BottechiaWigmore RT – a decision he consolidated with a solid 19thplace in the Cat 2/3/4 race, rolling in as part of the select pursuit pack side by side with friend and one time team mate Scorey.

With
wholly positive feedback in its aftermath, the Reivers Road Race has
now established itself as a favourite fixture in many club’s calendars,
and if next year’s races can deliver the enthralling action and glorious
weather of 2017, it’s one not to be missed!

Extract from the pre-race documents...

Berwick
Wheelers CC will hold its 4th consecutive annual road race based at
Etal Village Hall in Northumberland.

Tackling a 19.70 mile circuit of
the Reivers road race loop the event has proved both challenging,
competitive and an exciting race. For 2017 Berwick Wheelers are proud
to host a new format with a catagory 3/4 race just tipping the scales at
40miles and a new addition for 2nd, 3rd and 4th category riders with
just over 60 mile circuit. The main difference in the circuit from last year is an extra section with an additional climb which will certainly test both races.

The field is open to 60 riders, utilises some of the Tour of
Britain route for 2015 and takes on Ford Bank KOM climb which had proved to
challenge the peloton. A fully supported event including first aid and on route mechanic means we have the competitors covered for most eventualitites.

The
Rievers Road Race starts at Etal Village Hall and is neutralisied up
Ford Bank for both races before the flag is dropped and the race is
started. The category 3/4 race will tackle the loop twice in total and,
with an uphill finish off the main road, results in the event being
extremely competitive right to the bitter end. It should be
noted that 75% of the field will be made up of 4th cat riders. This has
been approved by British Cycling for anyone looking for an introduction to road
racing.

The 2/3/4 race will tackle the same loop three times in total before moving off the main road for the same uphill finish.